Signaling-instrument set.



M. LEVISON. SIGNALING INSTRUMENT SET. APPLICATION TILED MAR. e. 1914.

zflzzna segx 6 Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

3 8HEETS-BIEBT l.

JM@WM JYZZ'EFne M. LEVISON.

SIGNALING INSTRUMENT SET.

APPLICATION TILED MAR. e, 1914.

1,128,013. Patented Feb.9, 1915.

3 BHEETS-SHEET 2.

WWW

WM we M. LEVISON.

SIGNALING INSTRUMENT SET.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. s, 1914.

1,128,01 3. Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

quired for the signal service of a single sta- UNITED STATES MAURICE LEVISON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO SIGNAL COMPANY,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SIGNALING-INSTRUMENT SET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

Original application filed May 27, 1912. Serial No. 699,856. Divided and this application filed March 6, 1914.

Serial No.

signaling system of the genera-l character described in my copending application. Se-

rial No. 699,856, filed -May 27th, 19] 2.

One of the objects of my-invention is to provide a signaling unit in the form of a self-contained instrument set, which may be all assembled atthe factory ready for. connection to the 'line wires that run to the source of electrical supply and the remote signaling lamps or other annunciators.

A further object of my invention is to pro -vide such an instrument set embodying, in its unitary structure all of flies-witches, relay parts and associatcdmechanical devices re- 1 tion; in compact. neat, and attractive form. and susceptible of ready installation in conjunction with the ordinary outlet boxes, or

wall boxes customarily employed in commercial installation of electrical appliances in buildings.

Another object of my invention is to provide a signaling instrument set which is sim' ple in'construction, cheap, easily manufactured, durable, and not liable to get out of order. I

Another object of my: invention. is to provide a novel and advantageous construction and arrangement of then nnunciator-controlling switch=mea-ns, and the electro-mechanical and mechanical controlling devices for the system c arrangement apparatus of the such switch-means.

'A further object of my invention is to provide an improved connect on between the exterior signal-setting switch. which usually Fig. 11 is a section on line 11 art from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the external appearance of an instrument set, of simple form, embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a central, vertical section on line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a diagram of electrical connections. F ig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4'l of-Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a detail of relay parts; Fig. 6 is a detail of the relay armature; Fig. 7 is a detail section online 7-? of Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a detail of the signal release button; Fig. 9 is a detail of a modification of Fig. l; Fig. 10 is afront view of a modified structureembodyingmy invention; 11 of Fig. 10; and Fig. 12 is a detail view of the nut plate.

In certain signaling, installations, as in hospital signaling, it isiinportant that there shallbc at suitable places relatively remote from the signal -iiiitiatin; station (.which is, say, at the patients bed) signallamps or other annunciators electrically controlled for the setting and release of their signals by d ti'erent instrumentalities at the signal-initiat ng station. The signal-setting switch should be located for operation bythe patient. and the means for release of the signal should be located-adjacent t0 the setting means, in theneighborhood of the signal initiating switch. (as at the bedside of the patient), but said releasing means is not intended to be operated by the patient. By suclran arrangement it is insured that a signal, once set by a patient, may not be erased until an attendant comes tothe point where the signal was set'and effects the releasing operation. My copcnding application above referred to illustrates a system of this character which hastlic important advantage ofoperabilityby alternating. as well as by direct, current, and which involves in character forming the subject matter ol'tliis application. The present application is, therefore, as to such constructional features. hereinafter claimed. as are illustrated in inv said system application (but not susceptible of being separately claimed the ein) a division of said application.

In Fig. 3 of the drawing herein I illustrate, schematically, a fraginentot a signaling system. from which the general purpose and operation of the present apparatus easily may be gathered. In said figure, 19 indicates a relay whereof 20 is the magnet and 21 its armature. This armature in its two positions respectively locks and frees the stem of a release member 22 which coacts with a spring-switch, generally indicated at 23. This switch. has spring leaves, closed normally, arranged in circuit with the magnet 20 and with a push button 24, which in practice is a pendant switch suitably disposed for convenient operation by a patient. When the push button 24 is pressed closing the circuit for magnet 20 through leaves of 1, switch 23, said magnet attracts its armature 21, and frees the release button 22 which is thrown forward by the main leaf of the switch 23 as the latter springs forward, opening the circuit for the magnet 20. Switch 23 also has normally open leaves, connected with suitable annunciator lamps 124, 124*, etc., and when the main lea-f springs forward the circuits for these lamps are closed. The various electrical circuits, of course, include suitable line wires energized by any suitable source of current supply such as the alternating current generator 25 operating through a step-down transformer 26; it being my preference that the apparatus herein describedshall be so constructed as to operate on alternating current of relatively low voltage-say 10 volts.

When once the signal annunciators 124, 124*, etc., appurtenant to the instrument set, are energized they remain in active condition until the release member 22 is pressed inwardly, thereby operating the switch 23 to open the annunciator circuits and again to close the switch leaves in the circuit of the magnet 20. \Vhen the release button is so pressed, the armature 21 again latches it in its signal-releasing position against the tension of the main switch spring, and thus the apparatus is all restored to normal condition. I

Referring now to the particular construction illustrated in the-drawings 30 indicates in general a metal face plate, or wall plate, preferably of suitable dimensions to coact with some standard electric outlet fitting, and having mounted on the back thereof an insulating base 31, secured thereto by screws 31. The relay spring switch, etcl, are mounted on such base, said relay parts being preferably mounted on a metallic relay-base 32, secured to the insulating base by screws 32 As best shown in Fig; 5 the relay base 32 may be the magnet yoke, and it carries the two cores 33 of the electromagnet 20, pro jecting rearwardly at right angles therefrom and arranged in vertical alinement with each other. I The cores 33 are preferably secured'to the base 32 by screws 34 and each core is preferably notched near its outer,

yoke 32 also has at its upper portion a guiding aperture 36 and at its lower extremity an inturned or rearwardly extending lug 38.

The magnet cores preferably carry the armature of the magnet 20, through the intermediary of a non-magnetic yoke 39 (Fig. 5) by which they themselves are united and spaced. This non-magnetic yoke, which may be made of brass, is provided with a key hole slot 40 and an open notch 41, adapted to coact with the notches 35 in the sides of the pole cores 33. It also has a guiding aperture 36 at its top, and integral side arms 42 to afford support for the armature to be described.

The magnet parts indicated in Fig. 5 may readily be assembled by mounting on the cores their respective windings, slipping the core notches 35 into engagement with the yoke-slots 40-41, and then screwing the cores to the base yoke 32. In this way the magnet parts are very rigidly and compactly secured together and an effective support for the armature is provided.

The armature 21, shown in detail in Fig. 6, has a plate portion '45 confronting the magnet poles and an inturned latch ex-' tension 46 above the pivotal point,d.irected forwardly over the magnet and terminating with a down-turned, latch nose 47 having its end rounded in cross-section. In alinement with the apertures 3636 said armature structure is provided with an aperture 46. The rearwardly extending arms 48of the armature lit between the arms 42 of the supporting yoke 39 and are pivotally secured thereto by a suitable pintle. The armature is normally retracted by aspring 45' secured to lug 38 and acting against the free end of the armature.

The release-button member 22 with which the latch extension 46 of the armature cooperates, has a stem 51 provided with an encircling groove 52 to receive the rounded nose 47 of the armature latch extension 46,, and said stem is reduced at its ends to slide in, and rotate in, the apertures 36-36' in the base yoke 32 and non-magnetic yoke 39. The forward end of the stem 51 extends through suitable guiding openings in the insulating base 31 and the wall plate 30 to receive the insulating push button or head 53, screw threaded thereon. The shoulders formed by the rear extremity of this head 53 and the larger body part of the stem, he on opposite sides of the intervening plate 32, and act as stops positively to limit the movement of the release button in both d1- rections as will be apparent in Fig. 2. The reduced rear end of the stem 51 extends through the aperture,- 46 in the armature and bears an insulatedtip 55 for coaction with the control switch 23.. Switch 23 is preferably made up of a number of vertical spring leaves, as 23, 23", 23, 23 and 23 (number depending on number of lamps to be controlled) mounted at their lower ends on an insulatin foundation 50' which is carried by an L s aped arm 56 secured as at 57 to the lug 38 of the base yoke 32. Arm 56, as best shown in Fig. 2, may also act to anchor the armature spring 45 heretofore referred to. i\ V The members of the switch 23 are herein shown as five in number the penultimate spring 23 being longer than its fellows and coacting with the insulated tip of the release-member stem. When said stem is freed from restraint of the armature-latch the spring 23 forces said stem forward to the position shown in Fi 2, and thereby also the spring 23 breaks contact with the rearmost sprin 23 and closes contact between itself an the several forward springs indicated as 23, etc. When the release member 22 is pressed rearwardly and latched by the armature, it deflects the spring 23 rearwardly into contact with the spring 23, and allows the forward springs 23, etc., to spring apart, so opening the connections of all the lamps 124,124, etc., (Fig. 3) which are controlled by said switch and closing at said controlling switch only the connectlons for the ma et 20.

I find that the construction herein before described provides a ver sensitive and efficient electrically-release and manually-reset switch. The cooperating armature lever latch and grooved release button stem provide 'a delicate but efiicient latch, such that energization of the electromagnet 20 instantly frees the release button, but such that-the button is securely held in latched position as long as the magnet remains deener 'zed. The rounded nose of the latch is su stantially free from the effect of wear, and releases easily and the ed shoulder of the groove 52 in the stem is e ectivel safeguarded against wear by the rotatabi ity of the stem as a Whole, said stem turning, more or less of course, under the pressure of the hand of the operator, thereby insuring in the course of time substantially equal wear on all parts of the edge of its latch receiving groove.

Upon the insulating base 31 are mounted clips 59 arranged beside the base yoke 32 and suitable in number and arrangement to afford connection between all exterior wires and the electrical parts mounted on the base.

The insulating base 31 has cooperating therewith an insulating cover 60 closed throughout on five sides and acting as a housing for the mechanisms carried on the base. 'As shown in Figs. 2 and 4 the front of this housing is preferably co-extensive with the insulating base 31, and makes close contact therewith throughout its perimeter,

while at its back the casing has a vertical extension 60 narrower than the forward portion of the housing and adapted to receive only the relatively narrow switch structure 23 with its connecting wiring. 73

The wiring running from the interior of the housing, to. the line wires that are to be brought to the rear of the housing, may be run through apertures, as at 61 (Fig. 4),

arranged in the shelves or shoulders flanking the extension 60'. This construction advantageously provides free spaces flanking the extension 60 into which the line wires may be brought with ample room for effecting connections, even if the structure 33 corners of the housing, and through aper- 33 tures in the corners of the insulating base 7 31, for thread engagement with nut plates 65, which, as best shown in Fi 7 and 9, are preferably sector-shaped an located in appropriate recesses 66, in the front face of the base 31.-

For connection of the cord of the pendant switch 24 with the relay mechanism, I provide detachable locking connection ph sically suspending the cord from the ace 95 plate. A nipple shell 70, is screw threaded as at 71 into a suitable aperture in the face plate 30 and is provided with a throat 72, through which the cord 24 is run. Just inside of the throat the cord ,is preferably 133 knotted or otherwise provided with an enlargement 24 so that any linear strain on the cord is transmitted to the nipple and not to the wiring connections between the cord-wire ends and-the appropriate terminals. In many installations it is desirable that the signal initiating cord shall be readily removable and replaceable, b those in authority, and to facilitate suc removal and replacement I preferably employ, as in- 133 dicated in Fig. 4, a plug switch construction, for effecting connection of the cord end with the wiring terminals on the base. In such construction 7 3 indicates a plug member having the two split pins 74 respectively taking into sleeves 75 which are permanently secured in the insulating base 31 and which receive the connections of the appropriate interior wires. The plug switch thus provided is very small and is ne 'tly housed 123 in the nipple 70. By screwing," the nipple tightly in place with a suitable spanner or other special tool,for reception of which apertures 70" may be made in the nipple 70,-the nipple and its connected cord and 125 pendant switch are locked or made proof against accidental displacement or removal by the mere use of the fingers, although readily removable by the special tool. As

shown in Fig. 9, the same construction without the plug switch may be employed, with some slight saving of expense, by running fixed wiring terminals or binding posts 76 directly through the insulating base 31, and

directly connecting the ends of the cord wires to these binding posts within the nipple 70.

The face plate '30 with its connected part may be mounted on the conventional cap 81 of an ordinary outlet box 82 of any desired design. t r

In many instances particularly in the wards of hospitals, where a number of patients will be quartered, there should be provided a bed lamp in addition to the wardroom-door lamp, and the pilot lamp, and any other signal annunciators, in order that the attendant, reaching the ward, may observe which patient initiated the call. In such constructions the bed'lamp is most conveniently placed in conjunction with the wall plate, and in Figs. 10 and 11 I have shown a construction to this end. The wall plate 30 in such an equipment is made transversely larger than in the simpler construction shown in Fig.1. The relay and its equipment are mounted as'hereofore described, and beside the relay housing 60 the lamp is mounted. 85 indicates a lens removably mounted in opening 86 in the plate 30, and having in rear thereof the bed lamp 124. The socketv base generally indicated at 88 is carried on 'a .yoke 89 secured as by screws 90 to the face plate 30*. In the particular construction shown the socket shell 91 is mounted centrally in an annular insulating ring 92, the forward end of which abuts against the vertical member of the yoke 89, and a bushing collar 93 threaded on the'socket shell 91 has an extension through V the yoke member, so that it separates said part 91 from the yoke 89 and forces a. rub ber washer 94 into clamping cooperation with the forward side of the'vertical member of the yoke. I find in practice that this form of mounting is stable and eflicient.

It will be understood, of course, that the connections between the electrical parts of the set are made in assembling the structure, and that stub-wires for connection with the line wiring are run out of the easing 60, leaving only the connections with the mains to be made within the outlet box, when a unit is connected in a system.

While I have herein described in some detail a particular embodiment of my invention which has been found to be satisfactory and effective in practice, for purposes of full disclosure thereof it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many changes in details of construction and arrangement might be made without departure from the spirit of my invention and within the scope of the appended claims. v

Having described by invention, what I claim is:;-

1. In an instrument of the character de scribed, the combination of a base structure, a relay mounted thereon comprising *a magnet, its armature, and a switch, a release member extending through said base structure and cooperating with said switch to be projected by said switch, and a latch member movable by said relay armature for holding said release member at oneextreme of its range of movement, to restrain it against projection, when the armature is retracted.

2. An instrument set of the character described comprising, in combination, a supporting structure; a relay supported thereby, comprising a magnet, a pivoted armature for said magnet, carrying a forwardly extending latch, and a spring switch in rear of said magnet; a pendant switch, connected with said supporting structure and operable from in front thereof, electrically connected with the relay magnet to control it; a release member extending through said supporting structure and cooperating with the spring switch, said releasing member arranged to be latched in 'rearmost position by the armature-latch when the armature is retracted.

3. An instrument set of the character described comprising an insulating base, a relay carried by said insulating base comprising an electromagnet, extending rearwardly from the base, a pivoted armature in rear of sald electromagnet, and a spring switch in rear of said armature, a releasing member extending through the base and cooperating with the spring switch, said member being pressed forwardly by the spring tension of a part of said switch and coiiperating with said armature to be latched thereby in rearmost position when the switch spring is under tension and the armature is retracted.

4. In an instrument set of the character described the combination of a base plate; an insulating base mounted thereon; an electro-magnet carried by said insulating base; an armature therefor; an armature-operated latch; a releasing means extending through said base and base plate, cooperating with said armature-operated latch to be held thereby in rearmost position when the armature is retracted; and a spring switch, cooperating with said releasing means, wherer in the switch elements are forced to one position by the movement of the releaslng means to rearmost position, and move said releasing means to forward position when the armature is attracted to free said releasing means.

5. In an instrument set of the character described the combination of a-base plate; an insulating base mounted thereon; an electro-magnet carried by said insulating base;

an armature therefor; an armature operated latch; a releasing means extending through said base and base plate, cooperating with said armature-operated latch to be held thereby in rearmost position when the armature is retracted; a spring switch, cooperating with said releasing means, wherein the switch elements are forced to one position by the movement of the releasing means to rearmost position, and move said releasing means to forward position when the armature is attracted to free said releasing means, and a pendant push button switch connected with said relay magnet to control the operation thereof.

6. In an instrument set of the character described the combination of a face plate, an insulating base mounted thereon, a relay comprising an electromagnet, its armature and a spring switch comprising a plurality of leaves, one extended beyond its fellows, a releasing member extending through said base plate and base and'cooperating with said extended switch-leaf to control the movement of. the spring switch and to be projected thereby when.unlatched, said releasing means arranged in latching cooperation with the armature to be latched thereby in one position when the armature is retracted and freed w on the armature is at tracted.

'Lln an instrument set of the character described the combination of a face plate; an insulating base mounted thereon; an insulating cover carried by said-base; a relay on said base housed within said cover, comprising a magnet, its armature, and a spring switch; an armature operated latch; a pendant push button secured with respect to said base plate and electrically connected to control the relay magnet; and a push button release member extending through said face plate, cooperating with'the spring switch to control it, and also cooperating with the latch armature operated to be controlled thereby. A

8. In an instrument set of the character described, the combination of an insulating base, an electromagnet secured thereto ex tending. rearwardly therefrom, an armature for said magnet, having a forwardly pro ect1ng latch extension terminating in a down turned rounded nose, a horizontally reciprocable stem extending through said insulating base for manual repression from in front thereof, said stem provided with a groove for cooperation with the latching nose of the armature, and a circuit switch controlled by said release stem.

9. In an instrument set of the character described, the combination with an insulating base, a magnet mounted thereon comprising. cores, windings thereon, a non-magnetlc yoke connecting the polar ends of said cores and provided with aguiding aperture,

7 member therefor having a an armature mounted in said non-magnetic yoke provided with a forwardly extending latch, a release stem ided in the non-magnetic yoke and exten ing forwardly through theinsulating base, said release stem having a groove therein for coaction with the armature latch, and :a spring switch controlled by and controlling the rearward and forward reciprocating movements of said release. stem.

10. In an instrument set of the character described, the combination of an insulating base, an electromagnet thereon comprising core members, a yoke connecting said core members and provided with a guide aperture, a non-magnetic yoke connecting the opposite ends of said core members and provided with a guide aperture, windings on said cores between'said yokes,. an armature mounted on said non-magnetic yoke and having a forwardly projecting latch extension, and an aperture alining with said yoke-guide-apertures, a release member extending through said guiding apertures in said two yokes and the armature aperture and beyond the insulatin base for operation from the front thereo said stem provided with an annular groove for cooperation with the latching extension of the armature, and a spring switch cooperating with the rear extremity of said stem.

1 1. In an instrument set of the character described, the combination of a relay comprising in combination magnet cores, a yoke rearward extension at one end and a guiding aperture at the other end, a non-magnetic yoke secured to the polar extremities of said cores, and provided with rearwardly extending arms, an armature mounted on said arms, provided with a forward latch extension having a down turned nose, an armature spring mounted on the rearwardly projecting por- .tion of the first said yoke, a spring switch leasing member comprising a stem extending through the insulating base and face plate, cooperating, with said spring switch and cooperating with the magnet armature to be latched or released by the latter, and a housing for said relay structure having a wider portion enveloping the magnet, and

a narrower portion enveloping the spring structure and affording wiring spaces'beside said extension in rear of the'broader portions of the housing.

13. In an instrument set of the character described, the combination of a metallic face plate; an insulating base mounted thereon; a relay mounted on the insulating base comprising an electromagnet, its armature and a spring switch; means extending through said face plate cooperating with the spring switch to move the latter in one direction, and cooperating with the relay armature to be latched thereby; a nlpple secured to said base plate, a pendant switch having a cord extending into said nipple and secured in the interior thereof and wiring connections from said core to said magnet.

14. In an instrument set of the character described, the combination of a face plate,

having a glazed orifice; a signal lamp mounted in rear of said orifice, an insulating base connected to the rear side of said base plate, a relay mounted on said insulating base, comprising'an electromagnet, its armature, a spring switch controlling the signal lamp, a releasing member extending through the face plate controlling said switch and cooperating with the relay magnet to be latched thereby in position to open the switch for said latch, and a switch accessible from the front of the face plate connected with said relay for controlling the operation thereof.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MAURICE LEVISON. \Vitnesses: 1

STANLEY W. CooK, MARY F. ALLEN. 

